Q: I've just been charged with the task of explaining primary source research to a class of senior college students in a research seminar based around WWII.
Other than the basics of "this is a primary source" and "this is what an archives is", what would you tell them?
I'd love to get the collective wisdom on either pieces of information or websites/databases that you would include in such a class.
A: First, if they’re seniors in college and don’t understand primary sources, it’s probably too late. Second, a problem that occurs repeatedly is failing to distinguish primary sources from archival sources. Almost anything can be a primary source, from a rose to a reliquary to a restroom, and the number of primary sources is infinite (I mean that literally: if the universe is infinite, then the number of primary sources is infinite). Archival documents, however, are a specific, narrow group of materials. The vast majority of primary sources are not archival. It’s also important to make students understand that nothing is inherently a primary source. “Primary sourceness” is not a physical characteristic of a letter or newspaper. Instead, something can become a primary source based on how it’s used. Therefore, something can be used as both a primary and a secondary source. For example, Sandburg’s biography of Lincoln is a secondary source for Lincoln scholars but a primary source of Sandburg scholars. Even though it’s a primary source for Sandburg scholars, it’s not archival. The fact that something is or is not archival has nothing to do with whether a scholar can use it as a primary or secondary source. Conversely, the fact that something can be used as a primary source does not make it archival. Try to fight the cliché that archives are repositories of primary sources. That is wildly wrong-headed and hampers our ability to teach the public what archives really are.
Brainstorm ideas for getting schools on board with the program.
There needs to be a web presence for this effort ASAP - building awareness is passive PD. Simply having a place to "go read about it..." What is it? Why? When? Stories of success...
Folks should visit http://rsu2teachertech.wordpress.com/2010/01/07/pd-from-your-living-room/ and read Lydia Leimbach's post on the MLTI Webinars. Lydia is a Tech Integrator at Hall-Dale Middle & High Schools. The experience MLTI Statewide Integration Mentors have gained in delivering webinars is a major asset to the state. Webinars, anyone?
Oh - go see the Webinars here, and please - join one on a Thursday at either 3:15 or 7:15 PM. http://maine121.org
great job Jim and Jim. I sat in on one of these the other day and it is an outstanding way to deliver PD.
What can we learn from MaineMemory.net's efforts? What worked best? What flat-out did not work?
How can this effort be translated into mathematics, world languages, science, physical education, english language arts, etc? By taking it beyond "social studies" and developing an integrated approach, the possibility of large scale engagement grows.
Challenge Based Learning - This seems to be a natural for a CBL effort in a social studies classroom. By helping students build an essential question that they care about the tools of the MLTI MacBook and image could be brought to bear on locating, digitizing, and sharing the artifacts from a community.
Q: I've just been charged with the task of explaining primary source research to a class of senior college students in a research seminar based around WWII.
Other than the basics of "this is a primary source" and "this is what an archives is", what would you tell them?
I'd love to get the collective wisdom on either pieces of information or websites/databases that you would include in such a class.
A: First, if they’re seniors in college and don’t understand primary sources, it’s probably too late.
Second, a problem that occurs repeatedly is failing to distinguish primary sources from archival sources. Almost anything can be a primary source, from a rose to a reliquary to a restroom, and the number of primary sources is infinite (I mean that literally: if the universe is infinite, then the number of primary sources is infinite).
Archival documents, however, are a specific, narrow group of materials. The vast majority of primary sources are not archival.
It’s also important to make students understand that nothing is inherently a primary source.
“Primary sourceness” is not a physical characteristic of a letter or newspaper. Instead, something can become a primary source based on how it’s used. Therefore, something can be used as both a primary and a secondary source.
For example, Sandburg’s biography of Lincoln is a secondary source for Lincoln scholars but a primary source of Sandburg scholars.
Even though it’s a primary source for Sandburg scholars, it’s not archival.
The fact that something is or is not archival has nothing to do with whether a scholar can use it as a primary or secondary source. Conversely, the fact that something can be used as a primary source does not make it archival.
Try to fight the cliché that archives are repositories of primary sources. That is wildly wrong-headed and hampers our ability to teach the public what archives really are.
Brainstorm ideas for getting schools on board with the program.